Edible oil industry body COOIT has estimated the country’s mustard seeds production to rise 29 per cent to 109.50 lakh tonnes in the rabi season of 2021-22 crop year. The output of mustard seeds, which is grown in rabi (winter-sown) season, stood at 85 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

Central Organisation for Oil Industry & Trade (COOIT) finalised the estimates of mustard seeds production during its 42nd annual conference, which was held at Bharatpur in Rajasthan on March 12-13, it said in a statement on Monday.

As per the COOIT data, mustard seed production is estimated at 109.5 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. The area under coverage has been pegged at 87.44 lakh hectares while the average yield is seen at 1,270 kg per hectare.

“We have finalised estimates for mustard seed production in this Rabi season after extensive field visits by different teams all over India. The mustard production is set to rise at record 109.5 lakh tonnes…,” COOIT Chairman Suresh Nagpal said.

The likely rise in mustard seeds production would result in higher mustard oil output, he said, adding that the country’s overall edible oils import may come down.

“Farmers have put more area under mustard seeds crop during this rabi season as they received better realisation from their last year’s crop,” Nagpal said.

Mustard seeds are grown only in rabi season and the sowing starts from October, while harvesting begins in March.

Mustard is an important cash crop for farmers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, among others.

Rajasthan is the largest producing state in the country. Mustard seeds production is expected to increase to 49.50 lakh tonnes during the rabi season of 2021-22 as against 35 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

In Uttar Pradesh, the production is projected to increase from 13.5 lakh tonnes to 15 lakh tonnes.

Mustard seed production in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to rise to 12.5 lakh tonnes from 8.5 lakh tonnes.

In Punjab and Haryana, mustard seeds production is likely to be at 11.50 lakh tonnes, up from 9.5 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

Production in Gujarat is expected to rise to 6.5 lakh tonnes against 4 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

The output in West Bengal, eastern India and other states is likely to remain the same at 14.5 lakh tonnes.

India imports about 60-65 per cent of its total domestic demand for edible oils.

In the 2020-21 oil year (November-October), the country’s edible oil imports remained stable at 13 million tonnes.

However, in value terms, imports touched Rs 1.17 lakh crore from nearly Rs 72,000 crore in the previous year.

COOIT emphasised the need to increase domestic production of mustard seeds, which has around 38-43 per cent oil content, as this would not only cut India’s edible oil import but also help small millers in the utilisation of their installed capacities.

Established in 1958, COOIT is the national apex body, representing the interests of the entire vegetable oil sector in the country.